International Auditions

October 3 & 4, 2022

Trinity St. Paul’s Centre, Toronto

Start date: February 2023, or at earliest availability

Tafelmusik’s two core cellists share section leadership responsibilities

Candidates must have extensive experience performing on period instruments and excel in historical performance practice from early baroque to romantic periods. It is expected that all candidates will use historically appropriate instruments and bows.

Highly qualified applicants should submit their application form, professional CV, and live unedited audio recordings no later than Friday July 8, 2022. Please refer below for full application details.

All applicants will be contacted by email.

Tafelmusik is a 16-member chamber orchestra with a 43-year history of international touring, recording, and an extensive performance season in Toronto, Canada. Our core mandate also embraces artist training, audience engagement, education and outreach initiatives, and frequent chamber music opportunities. Current annual income is approximately CA $50,000, dependent on scheduled season activities. The musicians of Tafelmusik are independent contractors and members of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 149. Benefits: AFM-EPW 11%, sick leave (based on years of service). Core members of Tafelmusik are offered first right of refusal for all Tafelmusik services. Full tenure may be granted following a two-year probationary period.

Tafelmusik is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our working culture and in our community. We welcome and encourage applications from qualified candidates of all cultures, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We invite candidates who may require assistance during the application or audition process to let us know and we will work with them to meet their needs.

The audition committee reserves the right to dismiss any candidate not meeting the highest professional standards at these auditions.

International Cello Audition Recording Requirements

  • First movement of a Boccherini or C.P.E. Bach cello concerto
    • May be performed without accompaniment, or with orchestral or keyboard reduction accompaniment. No cadenza is required.
  • Geminiani Sonata no 2 in D Minor: I. Andante & II. Presto
    • To be performed with continuo (cello and/or bass and/or harpsichord).
  • Bach                Cello Suite no. 4, BWV 1010: Sarabande
  • Bach                Suite no. 2, BWV 1067: Ouverture (slow section only, bb 1–20) & Sarabande
  • Bach                St John Passion: Mein teurer Heiland
  • Bach                St Matthew Passion:Buss und Reu
  • Rameau           Les Indes Galantes:  Menuet 1 & 2                                                      
  • See attached score; please perform with repeats
  • Handel             Concerto grosso, op. 6, no. 5: Menuet                                                    
    • Please perform with repeats
  • Beethoven Symphony no. 5: II. Andante con moto (bb 1–10, 49–59, & 98–106)

Pitch: A=415. All audio files must be unedited.

Please provide a PDF score of the chosen concerto movement. Music for all excerpts is available at IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download. The Rameau score is included with the audition application document.

Please refer to the audition application document here for all submission details. Questions may be directed to auditions@tafelmusik.org.

A list of required live audition solo works and excerpts will be made available to invited applicants after July 24, 2022.